The Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to “the person who shall have done the most or the best work” to facilitate international cooperation, reduce conflict, and promote international peace, will be announced on Oct. 6. Among this year’s favorites to win are Angela Merkel, Pope Francis, and the group of volunteer humanitarian responders in Syria known as The White Helmets, Time reports. In anticipation of Friday’s big reveal, Global Citizen took a retrospective view of past Nobel Peace Prize winners and their accomplishments.

What are the benefits of sending girls to school? You might answer that they will learn how to read, write and do arithmetic, all of which equip them to enter the workforce, earn an income, and contribute more to the economy … And you would be correct. But that’s only part of the answer. Beyond improving their knowledge, skills and earning potential, educating girls can have a big impact on their health, and the health of their children and communities.

“I was chosen because I know how to read and write.” Natalia responds. “But also because I can maintain progress.” Her committee members nod in agreement, and it becomes clear that Natalia is not your average 15-year-old.

The townships surrounding Cape Town, South Africa, can be described as a “food desert,” where fresh fruit and vegetables are not available. Where concrete has now paved over any gardens or green spaces, except for one in Gugulethu. Ntombi Mbinda, the force behind the garden, invites students to learn tending, best practices for nutrition, and empowers them to invest in their community.“If you eat healthy, you can make a difference,” she says, “and I really know I’m making a difference. I know what I’m doing helps people.”

Mali’s food security has been rocked in recent years by recurring disasters, including erratic rainfall, drought, and a military coup that triggered a political and security crisis. ONE joined forces with a group of Civil Society Organisations to tackle the lack of gender parity in agriculture and campaigned for the Land Tenure Bill to be passed into law. During these meetings, the Malian government pledged to fund and transform agriculture adequately and to empower women in agriculture.

Every day, millions of women and children around the world walk an average of 3.7 miles in order to collect water that’s often unclean and unsafe for consumption by their families. These millions of women and children spend a collective 125 million hours a day collecting water—only to return to their homes where they labor to ensure the health and well-being of their entire families.

Malala Yousafzai has called for a state of emergency for education to be declared in Nigeria. On Monday, Malala – the 20-year-old Nobel Prize winner – met with the acting president of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to discuss the importance of investing in children’s education in the region. The human rights activist is visiting the West African country as part of her #GirlPowerTrip.

Girl Scouts will soon be adding new cookies to their collection — your Internet history. The youth organization known for Thin Mints and Samoas is teaming up with Palo Alto Networks to bring cybersecurity education to potentially millions of girls. This partnership is a way to break down gender barriers in the technology world, fill a much-needed employment gap in the cybersecurity industry, and get youth members ready for an increasingly digitized future.

Dr. Edna Adan, 79, was the first Somali-trained midwife in the UK, the first Somali woman to drive a car, and the first ‘First Lady’ of Somalialand. Four decades after she was the first Somali woman to speak out publicly against FGM, Adan is still fighting for change.

The Caterpillar Foundation believes that no one organization or individual can end extreme poverty. That's why we created Together.Stronger. This collaborative impact platform unites business, non-profits, governments and citizens to combine their strengths to help 50 million people rise out of poverty by 2020.

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The Caterpillar Foundation believes that no one organization or individual can end extreme poverty. That's why we created Together.Stronger. This collaborative impact platform unites business, non-profits, governments and citizens to combine their strengths to help 50 million people rise out of poverty by 2020.

FOLLOW US

Any effort made to impact society is a step in the right direction, but addressing the causes of the inequalities that make philanthropy necessary is a far greater task. #SocialImpact #ImpactInvesting #MLKDay #TogetherStronger